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I can’t wait for Christmas. I just can’t. Today, something switched inside my nerves, and it is most definitely the start of the Christmas season. Yeah, it’s September, but I’m singing Christmas songs and reading Christmas stories. I’m thinking of family, feeling sappy, and dreaming of Christmas decorations and cookies.

I love Christmas.

Currently Playing Love & Thunder By Andrew Peterson see related

I love hot chocolate, and I love when I get to cover the front desk at work. It frees me from the drama and hurricane pitch of the service center where my desk is. Especially now, the front desk is a much appreciated reprieve. Last week was about the worst week I think I have yet endured in my life– at least between 8:30 am and about 6:15 pm. This says that (1) I have been fortunate in my life to have thus far suffered no cataclysmic pains, and (2) last week really sucked.

I don’t want to rehash everything, but we’ll say that I am unhappy in my job. The worst of last week’s drama seems to have subsided for now, but I still wake up with dread and apprehension and drive home weary at the end of the day. Not a good cycle. By an hour or two into the evening, I’m chilled and enjoying my husband, but then it’s bed time and about time to begin the cycle again.

We’re reading the book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” about having a new perspective on money and how to make it. We’ve been brainstorming ways to make our money work for us (which is such a cliche phrase I’ve heard for forever but now am beginning to understand) and not having to work for (by hourly wage) every penny that comes to us. It talks about investing in real estate, starting companies, etc. etc. as legitimate ways of making exponentially greater income. Then the key is to not increase spending exponentially to match it. This is of interest to us since we plan to spend our life traveling and learning and not hacking away at 8-hour work days. We don’t want to be filthy rich. We want to be free to serve and learn and not stuck in the rat race.

So, that’s what we’re studying, discussing and contemplating these days.

-Jessica

Currently Reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money–That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! By Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter see related

We have a folk singer from Florida staying with us for a few days while she looks for a place to live in Nashville. It’s really fun. I just love having people in our home.

Currently Playing Between The Lines By Cyd Ward see related

What we can do with our gifts, a brainstorm:

Art: Adam paint and sell in galleries; Adam teach art; sell our art and music online; Adam create art for CDs in Nashville under the employ of a publishing company;

Music: Jessica record and sell CDs; Jessica sing concerts in coffee shops, small venues; Jessica sing concerts in churches; Jessica lead worship at retreats like this weekend; Jessica become Indian musical film star; Jessica go on Broadway; Jessica transcribe music for obscure cultures without notated folk music; become an awesome musician fusing together elements of all kinds of world music and electronic music; form a band, find a good co-writer and pursue Nashville, New York, LA, or Chicago; Jessica teach music; Jessica teach music theory;

Learning: get Perspectives certificate; grad school at St. John’s; grad school at Wheaton; Adam Wheaton undergrad in art, english, or theology; get degrees in a language or linguistics; Adam get undergrad at Exselsior; go to school in London; spend time at La Brie in France

Teaching/ Leading: Adam teach english; Adam teach art; Adam teach theology; Adam teach comparitive religions; Jessica teach music; Jessica teach music theory; move to another country and teach at a university; teach English anywhere abroad; Adam become a pastor; Adam become a missions pastor at a church; be a motivational speaking team who talk about living simply, Truth, faith, purity, saying no to drugs, missions, or having a perspective beyond America; teach at Wheaton Academy

World: open a youth hostel in India, Greece, Russia, anywhere; join a missions organization like Wycliff and work as a translator; join an agency and move to another country to plant churches; be guides for travelers; create a health spa/ retreat center in India for all of the Westerners that travel there; become ambassadors; work with the Salvation Army, Red Cross, or Peace Corps;

Investments: buy properties and rent them out for income; open an art, music, or travel shop with a gallery/ music venue;

…buy a house with four bedrooms, 2 and a half baths with a picket fence, a dog, a cat, and 2 and a half children…

what else? Give us your suggestions.

-Jessica

p.s. clarification: when I said I fell down “some stairs,” it was just two, but my hands were full so I couldn’t catch myself. I did feel sorry for myself, and Adam and his parents gave me the appropriate pity, but there was no harm done. I haven’t even found a bruise yet.

Currently Reading The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God By Brent Curtis, John Eldredge see related

Like our new picture? It’s from LaTisha. She took in on July 4th, when we were in Long Beach on the second leg of our honeymoon. My mom never liked the other picture we had on the site. I thought we looked content. But, I’ll agree, we’re much more smiley in this one, and Adam looks so dang hot, you all just have to see it. :).

I just got back today from a church women’s retreat at which I led the worship music. It was refreshing and fun. I really enjoyed getting to know the other women, and it was at a beautiful camp. Then it was oh so good to come home to my Adam after a whole day and a half (our first day apart since we married)!

I fell down some stairs at Adam’s parents house today, and that didn’t feel so good, so we tried ear candles to cheer me up when I got home. Have you ever tried that before? You stick it in your ear, burn the other end, and it sucks out the extra wax. Very cool feeling, and I had a really waxy right ear.

Now Adam’s working on art stuff. He says hi, and he’s embarrassed that he hasn’t written in forever. I promise, I do have a huband, and he is a great writer. Maybe he’ll share that with you some day. :).

That’s all. Much love.

-Jessica

Currently Playing Ladies of the Canyon By Joni Mitchell see related

Chicago is the coolest. We just got back last night from visiting with my parents, and we had a great time. It’s funny to go back as a visitor and not a local. The city was so much more beautiful than ever, and my parents’ house was just as warm and welcoming. All of the smells remind me of memories. That was the case with my Grandma and Grandpa Swanson’s house, too. Every smell was attached to a memory. That isn’t to say that my parents’ house smells like my grandparents’ house. It’s nostalgic, that’s all.

We did things that exaggerated the nostalgia, like played mini-golf (a family favorite when we were young), went to one of my dad’s football games (I love going to see games coached by my dad), swam at Aunt Gail and Uncle Peter’s pool (the way I spent many a childhood summer day), and explored Grandma Swanson’s bell collection (I used to sit at the glass cabinet and pick up each bell and ring them one at a time). We had a lovely time. We also went downtown to Chicago and saw the new Millenium Park (a new experience), and we loved it. I love Chicago. You all have to go. If you go before Sept. 25, you can see the awesome “family portraits” exhibit in which a photographer took family portraits of families from all over the world in their own clothes in their own setting. It’s very cool.

My boss just asked me today when we’re leaving, and it was fun to know. Adam and I are going to be leaving the country for our journey through Eastern Europe and Asia on July 23. Seeing as it’s already September, then almost Thanksgiving, then already Christmas, then spring, then time to go, we’re almost there! If you have friends, family or contacts anywhere in that proximity, please let us know. We’re going to try to connect with as many people as possible while we go. Thanks!

Okay, that’s all.

-Jessica

Currently Playing Nickel Creek By Nickel Creek see related